Lebanese army accuses Israel of violating cease-fire deal

By Yusuf Alioğlu

BEIRUT (AA) - The Lebanese army accused Israel on Thursday of repeatedly violating a cease-fire agreement between the two sides.

The cease-fire came into force on Wednesday, ending over 14 months of fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah group.

A military statement said the Israeli army violated the deal multiple times on Wednesday and Thursday, including aerial violations and shelling with various weapons.

The army said it is closely monitoring these violations in coordination with relevant authorities, without providing further details.

Two people were injured early Thursday in an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in Markaba in southern Lebanon.

Israeli tank fire was also reported in Ayta al-Shaab, Bent Jbeil, Khiam, Taybe, Wazzani, and the outskirts of Kfarshouba.

Israeli reconnaissance planes also flew over the districts of Tyre and Bent Jbeil on Thursday morning.

Under the terms of the cease-fire, Israel will withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line de facto border in a phased manner while the Lebanese army deploys its forces in southern Lebanon within a period that does not exceed 60 days.

Implementation of the agreement will be overseen by the US and France, but details on enforcement mechanisms remain unclear.

More than 3,960 people have been killed and more than 16,500 were injured in Israeli attacks in Lebanon and over 1 million displaced since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul